State troopers plan busy Memorial Day weekend

ATLANTA –The Georgia State Patrol is urging drivers who will be traveling throughout the state this weekend to make safety a priority. This year’s Memorial Day 78-hour holiday travel period will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 24, and end at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 27.

During the holiday period, state troopers will be on high-visibility patrols keeping an eye out for impaired drivers and other traffic violations that could potentially cause a crash. “We want to make holiday travel as safe as possible,” said Colonel Mark W. McDonough, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. “Observe the posted speed limit, don’t drive distracted, and plan a safe way home if consuming alcoholic beverages is in your plans,” he added.

Before you begin your trip, make sure your vehicle is “road ready”, by checking fluids, tires, brakes, etc. Also, make sure that everyone is wearing their seatbelt and that small children are properly restrained. “Remember to stay alert behind the wheel, ‘pack your patience’, and be courteous to other drivers at all times,” the commissioner said.

During the 2018 Memorial Day holiday, the Georgia State Patrol investigated 510 traffic crashes that resulted in 320 injuries and three traffic fatalities. In addition to the traffic crash investigations, troopers arrested 323 people for driving under the influence, while issuing 8,639 citations, and 11,979 warnings.

During the Memorial Day travel period, the Georgia State Patrol will again be participating in the national mobilization of the ‘Click It, or Ticket’ program. State troopers will be working alongside sheriffs’ deputies and police officers to enforce Georgia’s seat belt laws and to educate the public on the importance of wearing seat belts while traveling in motor vehicles. This program is coordinated in Georgia by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

The holiday traffic fatality count will be updated throughout the travel period on the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Twitter account: http://www.twitter.com/ga_dps.

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